Staatliche Hilfs- und Kostentragungspflichten bei Geiselnahmen

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of cases in which Austrians have run into difficulties abroad and had to call on the assistance of their home country. The recent hostage-taking and release of Austrian citizens abroad and the amendment of the Consular Fees Act in 1992 provided the impetus to examine the issues of the scope of the diplomatic or consular duty to protect and assist as well as the regulation on the reimbursement of costs incurred by the Austrian authorities for special protection measures abroad.